Revision of the genera Vinciguerria and †Eovinciguerria from the Oligocene of Romania (Central Paratethys) – comments on selected characters

Abstract

Five species of the genus Vinciguerria (namely † V. macarovicii, † V. praeattenuata, † V. tal- giensis, † V. obscura, and † V. merklini) were described and/or recorded from Romania. Most of the Eocene and Oligocene fossil species of this genus from the Central and Eastern Paratethys were later grouped in two genera († Sytchewskia and † Eovinciguerria), mainly due to the morphology of the caudal skeleton. A systematic revision of the vinciguerrid phosichthyids from the Oligocene deposits of Piatra-Neamt, Romania (Central Paratethys) is presented herein. Based on the character analysis and relationships of the recent phosichthyid genera, we consider the genus † Eovinciguerria to be invalid and we re-establish the validity of the genus Vinciguerria for the Oligocene species. Morphological comparisons of the original material with well- preserved specimens of † V. obscura from Liten ice (Czech Republic) and contemporary representatives allow us to recognize that † V. macarovicii is a synonym of † V. obscura. Moreover, † V. merklini recorded from the Oligocene deposits of Piatra-Neamt (Romania) represents a juvenile specimen of † V. obscura, contrary to what was previously postulated.